Today, we’d like to introduce you to Kim Smith.
Hi Kim, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I am a mother of three beautiful daughters. My youngest, who will be 15 this September, is on the autism spectrum. In 2015, when she was 8 years old, I was finding it difficult to find activities outside of therapies for her to participate in. She really needed a lot of one-on-one support, and it just wasn’t available in a setting that worked for her particular needs.
I expressed my concerns on social media, and Miss Donna of Miss Donna’s School of Dance offered studio space for me to start a program, and it took off from there. We have grown from a very tiny recreational dance program to a now thriving recreational and competitive dance program for children, teens, and adults with special talents.
Alright, let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
It truly has been such an incredible journey, but I 100% credit the success of the program to the support of our studio owner, our entire studio family, my co-director, and all of the wonderful volunteers who work with our students every single week. For the most part, our growth/journey has been a “smooth road”.
Of course, there are always challenges, but everyone who is a part of A Chance To Dance is willing to learn myself included, to help us help our students grow in so many ways through dance. We all know that if we are open to learning new things about each student and setting goals for them individually, it will help us get them where we want to be.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar with what you do, what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a program director and dance teacher for children, teens, and adults with special needs. I am most proud of my dance students and the impact they are making on the dance world.
I’m also extremely proud of all of our volunteers who pour so much love and time into our dancers… some of them have even gone on to pursue careers in special education, physical therapy, ABA therapy, etc.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
This December we are holding our first ever fully inclusive Christmas ballet “Nutcracker Twist”. This has been a dream for a while, so we are super excited!!
We also have a group of dancers who will be competing at the World Dance Championship this summer in Secaucus, NJ, and they are getting an opportunity to rehearse in a studio in the theatre district in NYC the night before they compete!! So many exciting things are happening.
Why do I think access to dance is so important to the special needs community… Dancing gives children with disabilities/special needs the ability to access that part of themselves that is deeply ingrained in their DNA. It enables them to bring out their innermost joy. Most importantly, it allows them to be, first and foremost, simply children and experience the magic of dance.
Contact Info:
- Website: achancetodancecharlotte.com
- Instagram: @achancetodance_clt
- Facebook: @achancetodancenc
- Youtube: @AChanceToDanceTheMovement
Image Credits
Angel Kincaid Photography
